AO Show

On Sunday night a large group of teachers from school went to the "A O" show at the Saigon Opera House.  Tickets were around $25 for a 1 hour show that was filled with music, dancing, and acrobatic moves (I've been told which are similar to Cirque de Soleil).  The performance showcased Vietnamese culture - old and new.  I wasn't able to take any photos during the performance, but click here for a link that kind of explains it.  I read somewhere online that the "A" is from the word lang (village) and the "O" is from pho (city).  The show gives us a glimpse of daily life in both.

The show centred around Vietnamese woven baskets as a prop - the baskets were spun, thrown, balanced upon, stacked, you name it.  In the entrance of the opera house there was a decorative display of baskets too, and outside near the road there was a huge basket in front of the stairs.

After the amazing show, several teachers went to the Caravelle Hotel which is right across the street from the opera house.  We went up to the rooftop bar to have a drink there.  It was way overpriced but I guess you're paying for the view.  The Bitexco Tower (tallest building in the city) is in the background of our photo below.  I have really come to appreciate this city, as it has a lot to offer in terms of entertainment and culture - way more than I expected.  As a tourist visiting the city several years ago, I found it an ok place but not too exciting and lacking in "touristy" things.  Now that I've been living here and getting to know the city on a different level, I realize that there is so much more to discover and appreciate.  Once you get past the intial shock of crazy traffic, I think anyone would find Saigon a pretty good place to hang out for a while!